Press Releases:

HRC Praises Confirmation of Alison Nathan to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of NY

October 13, 2011

Filed under:

10/13/2011

“Ms. Nathan’s appointment adds to the short but growing list of LGBT judges across the country, ensuring equality will see its day in court.”

Washington – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today praised the Senate for confirming Alison Nathan to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. President Obama nominated Nathan and the Senate Judiciary Committee sent her nomination to the Senate floor in July. Today the full Senate confirmed Ms. Nathan’s appointment. HRC President Joe Solmonese made the following statement:

“We commend the Senate for their important vote today, confirming Alison Nathan to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Ms. Nathan’s demonstrated intellect and dedication to public service is a model of achievement. She will join Judges Deborah Batts and Paul Oetken in the Southern District of New York as the only openly lesbian or gay federal judges.We look forward to the day when the makeup of the entire federal bench truly represents the diverse American public.”

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Contact HRC

Phone: (202) 628-4160
Fax: (202) 347-5323

To contact HRC please visit our contact us page. If you are a member of the media, you can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.

5 Things to Know about LGBT Issues

1. There are roughly 9 million LGBT people in the US and more than 650,000 same-sex couples.

2. 19% of same-sex couples are raising children according to the US Census Bureau's 2011 American Community Survey.

3. There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; there are no state laws in 29 states that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 32 states that do so based on gender identity.

4. More than 100 anti-LGBT bills have been filed in 29 state legislatures.

5. Marriage equality became the law of the land in June 2015 after the Supreme Court of the United States found bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional-and that the fundamenal right to marriage is a fundamental right for all.